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Sunday, 29 December 2013

If you know me, you'll be very much aware I am a true Kardashian fan. I'm pretty sure I've seen every episode of every series of Keeping Up With The Kardashians, and I absolutely love it. There's something relaxing about watching their lives and forgetting about your own for half an hour/an hour! If you've ever wondered 'what is their talent...?', then I am here to argue it is makeup, with the Kim Kardazzle Palette to prove it.

I won't lie, the name is very cheesy, and gives the palette a cheap impression in my eyes. However, as the saying goes, don't judge a book buy it's cover (or it's name...). Housed inside a sequin printed beige/pink compact (that I stupidly forgot to photograph) are eight eyeshadows (4 mattes and 4 shimmers) and two blushes, as well as a highlight for good measure. I do think there should have been a bronzer instead of another blush though, as it would have completed the trio nicely. Despite my moans, the three pans in the base of the palette are well pigmented and formulated shades. The highlight is especially beautiful, a golden hue that adds so much warmth to the face that a champagne just does not sometimes.

Something worth mentioning is the size. I expected it to be a lot larger than it is, as you can never tell with online stock photos. For comparison, it is about the size as a typical credit card. I read about the small size in another review, so I had anticipated the pans to be tiny, but they were actually very reasonable. Also whilst we're discussing packaging, the blushes are accessed through sliding out a lower compartment. A mirror is also featured in the upper lid, which is always handy.

The matte eyeshadows aren't UD Naked Basics standard, but they're not too far off. Each is well pigmented, and rather smooth. The two browns are lovely crease shades and blend very easily, as do the rest. For the shimmers, they are the stars of the palette. The lightest gold is not as perfect as it's sisters, being less pigmented and slightly more chunky in texture, but still workable and certainly not useless nonetheless. However, all is not lost, with the other three beautiful colours making up for it; a smokey brown, medium coppery gold and copper. I've not left these eyeshadows alone since I got them under the tree at Christmas.They do have quite bad fall out, but pressing them on or concealing under the eyes last are quick solutions.

This palette was ordered from Feelunique at £14.95, but I cannot find it again to link. CloudBeauty still has them though, for £1 more at £15.95. Hurry though, they're limited edition. I say 'they're' because all three sisters have one of their own. So, if Kim isn't your cup of tea, there's still the Kourtney or Khloe editions to try!

Friday, 27 December 2013

Over the last few days/week, I've accumulated many beauty related items in the form of sale buys and gifts from friends and family. So, here is my 'what I got for Christmas/boxing day sale haul'. As you would expect, a mini disclaimer here - I'm very grateful for EVERYTHING I received and I'm not here to brag whatsoever!

From my nan and granddad, I received the Lush FUN Gift set, which contains three mini chunks of FUN, and another Candy Mountain bubble bar - my absolute favourite scent ever! The little purple soap bar was from my grandparents too, which smells lovely and will be put to good use.

From my parents, I felt very spoilt. Firstly, I got the Pixi Glow Tonic, which I had chosen on our trip to London, as well as the Silk Nourishment Masque. I'm having a huge skin care kick at the moment so these were very well accepted amongst my bathroom. Also on the skin care front, the Origins Mask Marvels set. This contains three cult masks that I cannot wait to trial and discover. I've used the overnight mask already and was very impressed. Also, the packaging is adorable!

In addition to that, I unwrapped the Bobbi Brown Beauty Rules book which contains some incredible before and after shots, as well as the Kim Kardazzle Palette (which is downright gorgeous), Kardashian Beauty Cabana Bronze Bronzer, Emma Hardie Body Scrub (I chose this in TKMaxx - it was only £10!), Real Techniques Expert Face Brush, and some H&M beauty goodies in my stocking.

The 'main event' from my parents was the 50ml Marc Jacobs Oh Lola! Perfume. This is literally my idea of the perfect scent - a light, fresh balance of fruity and floral. I had no idea this would be under the tree, and I may just have squealed a little when I saw the box. It now takes pride of place on my dressing table in all its beautifully packaged glory.

The last bits were bargains from Boxing Day. For the first time I can remember, we actually braved the sales and went to the local town centre in search of some things; mainly the half price Boots sets. I snagged the Charlie Body spray gift set for £4, which contains two full sized sprays and a full size Revlon Girly nail polish. Being as I had wanted to purchase Girly for a very long time, I could not leave this on the shelf. The No7 eyeshadow set was £6, and contains two brushes (one of which I use daily to blend), and three single shades. I had this in mind before going in, so I was very pleased to see it still there, especially as it was so busy in the shop Lastly in Boots, a trio of Sanctuary Body Butters that only cost £5.

I had to take a look in TKMaxx, in which I discovered a Rodial Glamtox Kit. I've heard good things about the brand before, and knew it was somewhat expensive, so I took this to the checkout for a measly £12. I was so pleased to discover this actually retails at £35 after some online searching, and many full sizes of the minis inside are upwards from the fifty mark.

Finally, (isn't this a long one?) I found the last Nicki Minaj Pink Friday Perfume Set in Boots for £11.50 today (which is why it is not pictured). It contains a 30ml Eau de Parfum, 50ml Body Lotion and 5ml Rollerball.

So, that concludes my rather large haul. I did receive some other lovely non beauty related bits and bobs too, so as before, I am very pleased and appreciative with absolutely everything!

Monday, 23 December 2013

I'm not usually one to follow hype around coveted products. I like to do my research, to avoid disappointment, but I literally could not escape the rave reviews around this wonder item with bold claims. It was in almost every favourites video, every skin care routine, on every blog. Therefore, you can imagine that I had large expectations when I purchased this. It isn't cheap, £24.99 for a 30ml tube, which is ridiculously tiny. To make it a better deal, I waited for it to go a third off, making it £16.66. An excuse to buy it, non?

So, what does it say 'on the tin'?

'Increases skin hydration from below the surface with an ultra-high-quality hyaluronic acid that holds up to 1,000 times its weight in water.'

Including a quantitative sure does make you want to try it out, I know that's what had me sold! I don't know the science behind it, but it's quite simple to use. I pop on a little less than a pea sized amount, spreading it evenly over my face, and then apply any moisturiser on top. My skin has been the most dry I have ever seen it recently, especially around my eyes, under my nose and on my neck. I have been applying the typical E45 cream religiously, but it just wasn't helping. Only now has it cleared up considerably with the use of Hydraluron. The best part is, I didn't even have to wait long to see results. I've been using this since last Wednesday, so, so far, not even a week.

I find my skin is no longer flaky, dull or dry. It looks radiant and smooth, more plump and I kid you not, I walked past a mirror yesterday morning and was so shocked at the glow my skin had, minus makeup.

So after much hesitation, I can confirm that it does work for me. I would recommend this for everyone, from the most oily to the dry skins of us all. Grab one now, and save yourself some money too!

Sunday, 22 December 2013

Christmas. 3 days, 13 hours, 34 minutes and 27 seconds away at the time of writing this post. I'm excited, yes, but also quite sad because it means I'll have to wait another year to have an advent calendar again. *sigh*

This year I managed to snag a Ciaté Mini Mani Month Advent Calendar at the Clothes Show Live for a tenner. It would have been rude to leave it there, being as it is continuing to sell for a more eye watering £42. If you consider that you get 24 mini nail polishes over the course of December, each bottle working out at £1.75, it's actually quite a bargain at full price, let alone at a huge reduction meaning each day, it cost me 42p for a 5ml shade. Score.
I didn't buy into the whole concept before, mainly because I thought some were way too overpriced and quite rubbish, to be blunt. Nevertheless, my mind has been changed and I have truly loved opening a brightly coloured card board door every morning to discover a new polish for my tips inside. On the whole, the colours are gorgeous. A few slightly 'not my cup of tea' shimmery sheer golden pinks shades were found, but of course, you can't please everyone!

Call me sad, but it gave me that kick up the backside to get up, like receiving a gift every morning! Once I have opened every door (sad times), I'll write up a post on the best ones of the bunch. For now, I'm savouring my last few suprises. Why aren't these available for every month of the year?!

Sunday, 15 December 2013

I'm seriously sorry for not posting as frequently as I normally do. The shorter days mean that I cannot take photos at all in the week, so I'm left with weekends which is annoying. Hopefully when it comes to Christmas day my house will be brimming with many beauty picks I can share with you soon!

Red is such a classic colour, not just at this festive time but all year round too. Everyone should own one (or two, three, four, five)! For that reason, here is my red polish podium.

Essie Leading Lady - Red glitter in a deep red base. I adore this one! I actually have it on my nails currently, and it is just so beautiful, being so sparkly. I managed to get this from The Sunday Girl's blog sale a few months ago and I'm so pleased I did!

Rimmel Double Decker Red - a solid red creme that is opaque in 2 coats and uber glossy. I love having a simple red around for any nail art too, so this truly is a staple, and a cheap one at that. It is very good quality for the price, and a nice filler type gift if anyone's present (or your nail polish collection) is looking a little lacking.

Deborah Lippmann Through The Fire - This was a serious TKmaxx score, as I found three Deborah Lippmann shades in a pack for £8! This has an uplifting shimmer that runs through the formula, making your tips appear as if they are glowing. I'm really stuck for words on this one - I don't own anything close to this shade!

Of course these are all from the same area of the colour wheel, but they all share adorable names too. I think we should never forget about a good ol' classic ruby, especially around Santa's visiting time. Anyone for matching lips?

Tuesday, 10 December 2013

Well, who'd have guessed? Another seasonal related post, this time regarding the most gorgeous of eyeshadow colours that have me mesmerised.

I've been loving the pinky-red eye look, which you can see in my post here. The perfect candidiates to fit my staple winter eye criteria have to be Mac Cranberry and Bourjois Prune Nocturne. Describing them as stunning is just not justifiable... you have to see them to believe it!

For more neutral and school-appropriate days, L'Oreal Sahara Treasure and New CID Truffle have been my favourites. I love the cream shadow to smudge on the entire eye and waterline, as it looks so grungy but still beautiful. Not to mention, it's also a very long lasting mousse texture. Sahara Treasure is such a pigmented shadow, and I've now definitely become a member of the Color Infallible Brigade. I have Time Resist White too, which totally put me off, but I could not resist trying out another for £3 in the Boots clearance - I'm so glad I did!

Mac Amber Lights is a shadow I'm trying to make myself wear more. It's a golden/copper shimmery shade, that looks really pretty on brown eyes and I can imagine, every other eye colour too! I do love this because of the formula too, it's perfectly pigmented and has a buttery texture. Divine.

Lastly, the Anastasia Lavish palette. This is gorgeous. If there's one palette you need to see you through Autumn/Winter, it is this. Hands down - it's so pretty! My favourite shades are Antique, Pink Sapphire and Rum Cake. The quality is great and a bonus is that in the set you get 4 little extras: tweezers, eyeshadow brush, liner and brow pencil.
I think the key to applying all of these products successfully is blending, and lots of it. So, off you go ladies and gents - blend to your hearts content!
Megan xPS. I should have a Clothes Show Live Haul up one day if that's what you'd like to see? I'm just struggling to find a time to take pictures when it isn't dark! One of the cons of winter I suppose.

Wednesday, 4 December 2013

I swear I bang on about this every single post, but I just can't get enough of winter and the colours that come alongside it. Today I'm focusing on the jewel tones that resurface every year. If a full on eyeshadow look is not for you (as demonstrated below in a Charlotte Tilbury Article from December Glamour mag) why not test the waters with an intense eyeliner?

The first of the quintet I have chosen, is the Avon Glimmertsick Eyeliner in Twilight Sparkle. I'm not even a blue kind of girl, but this beautiful shimmering navy makes me want to slather cool tones all over my lids until the cows come home.

Secondly, a very affordable £1.50 3 in 1 contour liner from MUA in Smoked Plum. These are so creamy (albeit not extremely long lasting) that still pack a punch with gorgeous shades. For that price, I'd recommend getting the whole line to see you through the party season (or perhaps that's a little excessive).

If you're after something a little warmer, then you might like to get your hands on the Gosh Velvet Touch Eye Pencil in Renaissance Gold. Gosh - you do liners and polishes very well. This is a rather yellow silky gold that has super longevity so it won't slip down your face if you're out all night long. I'm very tempted to test a few more of these (maybe a more brown/bronze shade) because the quality and formula is outstanding for £4.99. This was a complete underdog; I had low expectations if I'm honest until I gave it a swatch!

We're now back to Avon, with a gorgeous emerald shade that looks incredible on brown eyes. Emerald Glow is utterly perfect: long lasting, intensely pigmented, smooth, creamy... the list continues. I'm not one for too much colour, but boy does this look amazing on the lower lashline. You can see it in action in my Autumn Look post.

The last of the bunch is another MUA Extreme 3 in 1 Contour Liner. I'm sure this is Sage, a silver/grey/taupe/blue/green hybrid that I can imagine would suit all eye colours. Once again, the lasting power of these is not the best but for £1.50, the pigmentation is great. This is a lovely unique one to add to your collection.

There you have it - the few eyeliners that are leading my curiosity into the world of colour. I don't think I'm reading to go all neon and yellow yet, but for the moment, I'm very content with my smoky variations.

Sunday, 1 December 2013

From November onwards, all I think about is Christmas. I've purchased the bulk of my gifts early, so I thought I'd share how I have wrapped them.

I got a bit creative, after being inspired by Louise at Sprinkle of Glitter, and decided to decorate each present with gingham ribbon (£1 for 5 metres from Asda) and a cute red and white tag (10 in a pack from Asda, £1). With a cuppa in hand, I entertained myself for a few hours, cutting and sticking, tying and folding. Imagine if I had popped some Kardashians on at the same time... that would have been heaven. Next time it snows, that will be my plan!

Friday, 29 November 2013

When this time of year comes around, so does the Christmas parties. If you've got one to attend, or simply want to make yourself a little more festive, here are some of my favourite glitzy polishes for Christmas and the New Year.

To start with, my first ever OPI, Metallic for Life, that still holds a place in my heart! (Very sad, I know.) It's a very pretty opaque black jelly base with silver glitter, that I wear all the time. It's a little harder to get hold of as it was from the Nicki Minaj collection a year or so back, but I've spotted a fair few on eBay and Amazon, so get shopping!

If you're on the hunt for a nail lacquer that is a little more versatile, to turn every manicure into a party, then NYX 24k Glitter is a good one to try. The clear base and gold glitter mean that there are lots of ways to layer it, or you could try a personal favourite of mine, and do a glitter gradient - what ever takes your fancy.

A bargainous polish to check out is Max Factor Fantasy Fire, at only £3.99. If you've ever read a nail blog, you should probably be aware about the supposed Clarins 230 dupe. (If you google it and find one selling for $100+, I wouldn't be surprised.) This one sure is a chameleon, changing from purple to red, to green to gold. Layer it over Barry M Indigo and you'll have people mesmerised by your colour changing fingertips!

Essie Leading Lady is probably one of the most Christmas themed of the bunch. It's a rather opaque elegant red with glitter as well, one of the reasons why this could possibly be my Christmas manicure on December 25th - we'll see!

Carrying on with red, is Deborah Lippmann Through The Fire. This is glittery free, but uber shimmery, to the point where it has a 'glowy' appearance. Once again, a very festive shade!

I couldn't not include a Revlon polish, so here is Rainforest. This is completely unique in my approximately 250 bottle strong nail polish collection. The base is green with flaky green shimmer, that looks very glossy on the nails. A more wearable approach to green nails I think!

Lastly, another Max Factor. This is Red Bronze, a foil-type copper colour which I use time and time again, and that's a rare thing for me to do! I can't think of much more to say, other than I get a lot of use out of this one!

It's always at this time of year I get more into nails, mainly because of all the new glitter additions that grace the shelves of Boots and Superdrug. Behold, I'm not done shopping for them yet...

Wednesday, 27 November 2013

A trip to Lush at the weekend meant that another Christmas buy was in order. Star Light Star Bright, the most glitter cover bath product I've ever seen with a scent akin to that in Dragons Egg - citrus, almost sherbet like.

The actual product is a large star, covered in silver sparkles. If you're not a fan of glitter in your bath, then perhaps this won't be for you, but I can claim that the particles didn't transfer nor stay on my skin whilst in or after I used it in the bath. However, pick it up in the store and your finger will be covered in silver!

This is a bath melt, which I believe is designed to be a skin softening, nice smelling item, that makes the water feel silky. It took a good 5 or so minutes to melt away, and that was with a bit of squishing and breaking. As you can see in the above images, it was a slow process as it didn't fizz like a bath bomb would (I was not expecting it to). Because the glitter drifted away, I was left with a cream coloured shape which looked kind of boring, until the blue was unleashed from the centre. This made the water a tinged aqua shade, but nothing too drastic at all.

I didn't notice that this did much for my skin. It felt the same when I got out as when I got in, and the scent was just kind of average. It didn't linger for long really, which is a shame because that's one of the things I love the most about Lush products. I have to say, I wasn't overly impressed by this one. I think if it was a bubble bar I would have preferred it more, because I love the scent, shape, size and colour, just sadly not how it performed!

Megan x

(My mum also said a day after I used it that the bath was quite greasy, just thought that was worth adding!)

Monday, 25 November 2013

November is rapidly disappearing and on its way is December. If you have yet to buy your Christmas gifts or you're looking for a few extras, I cannot recommend TKMaxx enough. I thought I'd share some brilliant unique finds from the store, especially presents for those who have everything, or are just downright awkward to buy for!

Rolson 4 Piece Microfibre Cloth Set £3.99 - Yes, rather boring, but the perfect stocking filler type gift for any self-confessed car devotee. I'm actually going to be giving this to my Grandad, who is the most hard to buy for person you'd ever know. I know he regularly washes his van, so I thought this would be a very practical prezzie.

Decorative Perfume Bottle £3.99 - Since my great grandmother died, my nan has inherited her very beautiful old dressing table. For a penny less than four quid, I thought this was would be a very pretty addition to her trinkets.

Jamie Oliver 4 Piece Salt Set £9.99 - I have already wrapped this one, but inside there is a set of four Jamie Oliver salts. My dad likes to cook and watch Jamie Oliver all the time, and plus, I get to eat the food he comes up with using them!

Jelly Bean Cup £2.29 - Also for my dad, is a small cup of jelly beans (you know, the 'gourmet' ones). I thought the price was very reasonable for the amount you get in the pack.

Dartington Fine Bone China Two Tier Cake Stand £11.00 - The RRP of this cake stand was £30.00, so there's a saving of £19.00 there! My nan loves to bake lovely cakes and desserts, but surprisingly doesn't have a cake stand, so this is one for her that hopefully wll be very useful and something she'd like!

Urbanknit Slipper Socks - Fluffy lined, cosy socks for my dad. These were £14.99 from £30, and I know he'll like these as he asked for them!

Transport Origami £3.99 - My dad has always liked motorbikes and cars, and enjoys puzzle type activities. Therefore, pop them both together and you get this gift set. Inside is 30 sheets of origami paper with 8 different vehicles, boats and aircrafts to make.

LED Copter Twin Pack £3.99 - A set of two 'helicopter' type things with LED lights and a catapult to shoot them up into the sky. My mum got these for my 12 year old brother, as more of a filler gift. Either way, they're very cool!

Cygnett Hard iPad Mini Case £4.00 - a very heavy duty iPad Mini case for my brother. Quite standard, but very cheap for what it is I think!

Although there's no beauty bits up there in my recent buys, I'm very impressed with TKMaxx because finding gifts for the most difficult family members becomes a breeze. I love that in many cases, items are one of a kind, because it makes them all the more original and thoughtful.

Please let me know if you liked this post, I sure did enjoy writing it! Are you excited for Christmas?

Thursday, 21 November 2013

I love to read as it is, so when you put makeup into that equation I'm ready to snuggle up in a onesie and hibernate for hours with the Bobbi Brown Makeup Manual in my hands. I actually got his for Christmas 2/3 years ago now, way before I even considered makeup. Still, the pictures had me drawn in and there's something about fresh, crisp glossy pages I couldn't resist.

As far as I'm concerned, if you are going to buy one makeup related book, let it be this. Seriously, it's the ultimate guide to general cosmetics, as well as the beauty industry. My favourite part of the book has to be a section at the back, which entails many famous beauty companies, who started them and when in the 'Memorable Makeup Moments and Legends' section, Chapter 12. Another area I love is the section on brushes, which is called the 'Tool Guide'.

Also very useful are the detailed step by step tutorials, for all skin tones, eye shapes and more. No one is left out in this book which is what I love!

Whenever I need to know something, this is the place I turn. It also looks great displayed in your bedroom - even more the reason to pop this on your letter to Santa this year!

(I even saw this book in TKMaxx for £7.99. Ladies and gents, grab your purses and run to find one!)

Tuesday, 19 November 2013

I must admit, Lush is one of those brands that I only really visit around the festive period. I don't tend to buy too much before Christmas, as we all know about the legendary boxing day sales, so I tend to hold off until then. However, I could not resist the Candy Mountain bubble bar once again.

Last year, I know it was pink and green, and I have in my head it was £2.45. However, this year it is pink and white with a few dots and sparkles. It now retails for £2.65, which is still rather cheap compared to other Lush items.

I haven't included images of it in the water, as truth be told it just sends your bath a pinky shade with lots of fluffy bubbles. Not to mention that it also lingers for ages afterwards, which I love. If you've been to Lush before, you'll know that when you bring your products home and leave them somewhere they scent the whole place. My room currently smells like a sweet shop - I'm not complaining!

I'm a very fussy person when it comes to scents. I wish I could understand the whole cinnamon, spicy winter product theme but it's not at all for me. This, however, is right up my alley, as it is not the kind of smell that will give you a headache at all. It's sweet, and candy-like. Therefore, I think the bubble bar is named very aptly! Also something I'd like to touch upon, is how much I adore the uses you get out of one product. Occasionally I am hesitant to purchase bath bombs at £3.50 a piece, because they're generally one hit wonders.

I'm sure I'll dive into the Christmas range further in due time, but as soon as possible, I have to get another of these. If you like Creamy Candy, you'll love this!

Saturday, 16 November 2013

I've quickly put together this short post to inform you of a great little perk me up in Glamour magazine's December 2013 issue. Not only is the mag £2, with a free Nails Inc Kate Spade nail polish (4 colours to find), inside there is an offer by The Body Shop, dubbed 'The Joy Card', a green little piece of cardboard that has a code to determine the value (as far as I know). On the card, there is either £3, £15, or £100 to spend in store. Although on mine there was only £3, the magazine only cost £2, so if you're planning on doing some Christmas shopping in the store, which you could see I've done as I've wrapped something already, pick up a copy and save yourself a little penny (or a big penny if you're lucky enough to get a £100 card).

With mine, I got my mum the White Musk Smokey Rose 30ml Eau De Toilette, which cost £7, as I saved £3. I suppose this is a miniature haul post too, because I also took advantage of another offer in store, which was half price hand cream (I got the almond one, also for my mum), making it £5. I couldn't use my card on the hand cream purchase because it involved an offer, so the transactions were split into two. I just thought I'd add it in anyway!

I really should get a few more of this Glamour copy, who knows, maybe you'll find a £100 Joy Card? If you did, I'd be very jealous!

Thursday, 14 November 2013

I think I should probably thank my nan for getting me this whilst in New York, but moreover I'm jealous that she got to experience Sephora as well as see the sights of supposedly one of the best cities in the world. Oh well, I'm content enough with my new Anastasia Lavish palette.

Housed inside a slightly impractical but unique box, are 10 eyeshadows, one mini liner, a mini brow pencil, full size tweezers (which on their own are $28, whilst the palette retails at $38) and a double sided decent quality brush. I don't mind the prints on the outside, they're very different to anything else I own but the only downside I have is that it's cardboard, and the palette has a plastic slip to protect the shadows which for a while will retain general wear and tear, but could have trouble keeping in tact whilst floating around in my makeup bag.

Inside you can be sure to be full of ideas, as a little booklet is included with tutorials from ladies who do YouTube which is lovely!

The pigmentation of the eyeshadows is very nice. Although some are a little chalkier than others, all have decent colour pay off, especially Pink Sapphire and Black Diamond. My favourites are...: Antique (makes silver so much more wearable), Rum Cake, Sienna and Pink Sapphire. Sienna is an autumn staple, being a warm rust shade that is the perfect partner to blend out an autumn copper look.

As briefly mentioned, you get 4 items in the base of the box. The tweezers are the best I've ever owned, they grab every hair so easily with no annoying fumbling around, pinching your own skin. The brow pencil is a nice addition, as such product is not something I tend to use often so a miniature size is very handy to have, because I'd never finish a full stick. The colour is perfect for me too I must add. Thirdly, the liner which is incredibly pigmented, dark and long wearing. I'm very tempted to buy the Christmas set of these to try out some more shades! Finally, last but not least, the brush. It's double sided so slightly hard to store, but the bristles are both very soft and blend eyeshadows like a dream. I'm a very big fan of the smaller, tapered pencil style side for the lash line as it is the perfect size without being too much.

For my first Anastasia product, I've got a good impression so far. The value of this nifty set is unbelievable, not to mention a complete staple for numerous eye combinations to see you through the colder seasons.

Saturday, 9 November 2013

Airports are possibly one of my top three places to shop. You can't be told 'ugh, I want to do something else', because browsing the stalls is the only option apart from have something to eat or drink. Plus, I absolutely love the duty free. This perfume purchase was a teeny tiny £9.20, which is why I also took one all the way to Cyprus and back for Lauren, and even kept the bag and tissue paper to rebuild the presentation as it was when I skipped out of the shop. Yes, it was that pretty I couldn't help myself but do so.

The Victoria's Secret store was really pretty, donning illuminated body product areas as well as some rather extortionately priced cosmetic bags, phone cases and the odd cosmetic item and pairs of underwear. Being the beauty addict I am, I gravitated to the scents. After around half an hour sniffing and choosing, trialling and testing, I decided upon Sheer Love, described by the store lady as a best seller. I would say that the scent is quite suited to Spring, being rather fresh, slightly fruity, a little floral. Neither of each fragrance category predominates really though, it's a perfect balance of all I would say. It lasts well enough for me, and I'm glad it isn't too over powering because I hate it when a perfume gives me a headache - ugh. Although after a few hours you can't smell it as much as you could when you first applied, give your wrists a sniff and this stuff is well and truly still there.

My only complaint is that it's so hard to get hold of unless you're in Manchester (am I right?) or London. Please Victoria's Secret, make your stores easy to come across like the Body Shop and Boots?

Thursday, 7 November 2013

Perhaps more widely know for her cleansing balm, adored by everyone and their grandmothers, Emma Hardie has been a brand I have drooled over for a while. Those luxurious gold pots had me weak at the knees, but it would never be realistic for me to purchase anything in my tight budget... sigh. You might want to read this next part twice: I paid £12 for a full size tub in TKMaxx. Firstly it was half price at £24.99, which was further halved once again leaving me no choice but to purchase it. A few weeks on, I've gathered a some thoughts and whether it is worth the extortionate price tag.

Packaging wise, albeit a bit bulky, this is not a cheap tub on my bathroom shelf, rather, a luxury ornament. Sneakily, the plastic magnifies the centre, inclining there's more product inside than the 200ml. Sadly, I don't think this is practical for travelling with in the slightest. I suppose you could decant it, but we all know that would ruin things completely.

Housed inside, is a very thick, almost sudocream like substance. The scent is herbal, and supposedly similar to that of the moringa cleansing balm, however I obviously cannot truthfully compare as the ability to smell items through my computer screen has not been invented yet... another sigh. I must admit, I'm not too fond of the fragrance, but I'm pleased it's not overpowering. In my head, I'd imagined it to be more of a creamy, milky scent so that was a slight disappointment but nothing too major.

On the skin, there are no complaints. A little goes an extremely long way, and as you massage it into your limbs it almost becomes thinner in texture because of the warmth. I had also expected it to be tacky for hours, but this was most certainly not the case. Within 10 or so minutes, it has absorbed completely. My skin is so silky-soft, most likely the most moisturised it has ever been.

So... would I repurchase at £49? Although if I was a millionaire, the answer would change, it's currently a no. However, if I find it in TKMaxx again for a more reasonable amount less than £20, I'd definitely take it to the tills once more.

Tuesday, 5 November 2013

Whether we like love it or loathe it, Autumn has arrived as I'm sure I've mentioned many a time in my posts. For me, there's no complaining. I adore the rich, jewel -like deep tones, my favourite of which is burgundy. It seems I'm not the only one either, as the magazine behind the images is actually Instyle, a great page with some ideas to set your head spinning about one of the most predominant colours of the season. Therefore, it was only fitting to share my new discovered love for a more adventurous eye combination.

As Mac had a short time period before Halloween of free delivery, I got my desperate mits on Cranberry, the most beautiful shade of shimmering...well... cranberry I suppose! Although most are frightened such colours will cause the eye area to look sore, I've found no problem at all with it. I would say that if you're worried about that, line your waterline and upper lashline with either black or brown and admire the end result.

A nice base is Prune Nocturne, one of the new cream eyeshadows from Bourjois. If you don't want to dive in at the deep end, and rather just dip your little toe into the water, this is the one to go for. Due to it being more of a brown/plum berry base it becomes more wearable; even better for those of you who are just wanting to subtly experiment with a minute amount of colour (me).

The best part? Popping them on together. My next stop is navy... now that's how you embrace Autumn.

Sunday, 3 November 2013

To me, Toni & Guy has always been more of a luxury brand in the aisles of Boots. With most products around the £7 mark, I wasn't going to go on a big spend-up without a deal on, which in this case was 3 for £12. After all, hair care is not my forte. In fact, as similar with makeup a few years ago, it's all a little daunting to me.I've never died my hair, hardly ever blow dry it, or actually use any form of heat, unless it's a once in a month decision to go out with waves. Therefore, the products I chose were rather catered to what I actually do to my 'barnet'.

Toni & Guy Nourish Reconstruction Mask - Hair masks have intrigued me for the last few months now, and because it came in a tub, I found it made me even more curious. I've discovered in order to get silky soft ends, you just slap a bit on the mid-lengths to tips, avoiding the roots, on damp, clean hair. Wash it off after a few minutes and that's it! I'm not lying when I say my hair has never been softer. Seriously, this is a wonder product.

Toni & Guy Dry Shampoo - Yes, yes, we've all been there with Batiste. It's alright... decent smelling, does the job, but I can never get over that white powdery residue it leaves behind, everywhere. Therefore, I had lost faith in products which claim to refresh in between washes, and banish those nasty roots the day after. I can thankfully say this is perfect. Totally colourless, no white residue and no stickiness/overly dry-ness. The packaging is also more up my alley, being a slight monotone theme. I will HAVE to repurchase this. I'm so glad that I realised there's more than just Batiste sold in Boots and Superdrug!

Toni & Guy Shine Serum - Truthfully, I was a little stick as to which third product would make my 3 for £12 basket. I so wish there was an oil, but instead I settled for a shine serum. My hair can be frizzy at times, and although this does a good job at smoothing the ends, other than that, it's nothing special. I think I should have gotten another dry shampoo instead!

Although the 3 for £12 deal is no longer available, 3 for 2 is on instead so there's no excuse. Go and try yourself a few bits and bobs, you probably won't be disappointed - I know I wasn't!

Friday, 1 November 2013

Seasons are huge times that both the fashion and beauty industry depend on. The changes of colours, textures and styles mean that a lot of us like to change our whole looks. For me, autumn is by far my favourite season as I adore the rich shades of burgundy, navy and hunter green. So, for the second time, here's a look I wore a few weeks back that made me feel like I should be out in the park, kicking the crispy leaves and frolicking in the soft breeze (or rather, angry storm). Who am I kidding... that would mean I would have to be parted with my cosy onesie - erm, no thank you.

For the eyes, if my memory serves me correct, there's a combination of Mac Amber Lights (mainly), a copper from a Lancôme palette, and a deep shimmery brown from a Kelly Brook for New Look palette. I also warmed the crease with the contour shade of the Sleek Face Form compact. I do apologise for the dry eye area, this is post-holiday skin. I'm sure chlorine did nothing in terms of moisture for my dry under-eyes.

Lip-wise, I applied the Rimmel Kate Moss Lipstick in 107. I say applied... well I slapped some one in order to take a picture for this post. It frustrates me so much that it's just a number, the names are the fun part of cosmetics! Miniature rant aside, the shade is a deep burgundy red with a matte finish. Vampy lipsticks are so gorgeous at this time of the year! I'm not brave enough to don such a dark colour just yet - perhaps if I was a little older I would feel more comfortable.

Who knows what kind of shadow concoction I'll apply next, but be expecting a little cranberry... *cough cough* someone ordered from Mac...

Wednesday, 30 October 2013

Mascaras. I hoard them. Never have I finished one either... and yes, I know, you're supposed to throw them away after 3 months, which, I do not do *slaps wrist*. When I started testing the Max Factor Clump Defy Waterproof Mascara, I was seriously impressed. Perhaps this will be the first tube of long lash loveliness I'll finish?

You can see a dramatic difference in the above before/after images, but even that does not do it justice. My lashes are normal I suppose, medium length, medium thickness... nothing special... sigh. I always curl my eyelashes before mascara application as that makes such a dramatic difference. I have a feeling above is one coat, but I do spend a while on each coat. I do not take my mascara application lightly.

The brush (which I so should have showed you... *slaps wrist for the second time*) is quite large, with plastic bristles and little curve. I think I prefer plastic bristles, but I'm honestly not that fussy. If it does the job, then the last thing I'm bothered about is the bristle type! With the effect that this mascara gives, I just wish it didn't smudge. However, please take that with a pinch of salt because ALL mascaras manage to smudge on me, waterproof or not. Yes, even Clinique Bottom Lash.

As always, I like to touch on the packaging. Nothing really too special, a purple semi-matte tube that's actually quite bulky but does the job completely. It survived in my suitcase to Cyprus and back, which I was surprised at because if you've seen the airport staff manoeuvre the cases, they show no mercy and literally slam them down everywhere. I suppose they have a lot to get through!

After that tangent, would I repurchase? Probably not instantly, because I adore road testing every product under the sun, but if I never find anything better, I can see myself scurrying down to Superdrug or Boots for seconds.

Friday, 25 October 2013

I've missed doing my bargain hauls, so I'm back with another featuring products that I did not pay the full price for any of.

Currently in the motherland of Boots, Toni & Guy is on 3 for £12. Considering each products individually sets you back £7.19, I saved £9.57 with this deal. I urge you to try some hair care bits from the range - on first impressions that mask is lovely!

The yellow tube of moisturisingness you can spot, is the Burts Bees Rejuvenating Lip Balm with Acai Berry. Usually £3.69, I found the last one for £1.85 in Boots. Why not?

Then, on to the TKMaxx goodies. The whole store was full of unique, interesting purchases, not only for beauty. However, in the end, I came home with 3 Deborah Lippmann nail polishes in Billionaire (deep green), Through the Fire (festive shimmery ruby) and Glitter in the Air (words cannot describe how beautiful this milky blue jelly with baby pink, blue and iridescent glitter is). The best part? This set cost me £8. Take a moment to digest that information - with the RRP of each polish around the £15, this was more than a bargain. If Billionaire retails at £15, Through the Fire at approximately £15 as well (I cannot discover an accurate price) and Glitter in the Air £17, I saved an estimate of £35. There was a few packs, so someone restrain me from visiting the clearance section of the store again...

Lastly, we have two New CID 'cream' eyeshadows. I found nude (Moonbeam) and a bronze (Truffle), for only £5. Although I can find nothing but a slither of information on where the shades have come from, the other colours retail at £14 each so these should be no exception. Even if the texture is more of a mousse, I'm chuffed to bits with this find, as well as the rest!

Thursday, 24 October 2013

I broke my Mac barrier a few months back with a couple of blog sale items, but today I present to you the first product I got from an actual counter. Meet Amber Lights, my new eye love interest.

I had originally wanted Cranberry, however as that was out of stock I went for the next eyeshadow that caught my eye. Coincidentally autumnal, this shade is perfect for the season, being a coppery golden hue that is intensely shimmery, not to mention beautifully pigmented. In the eye look below (which I will also be describing in more detail, along with a lip combination) Amber Lights is displayed on the lower lash line, and pretty much over the entire lid. There's a few other shadows used but I'll leave that until my post explaining Autumn Look #2.

To conclude, I'm super impressed with Amber Lights. It lasts all day, has no problems in the pigment area and the packaging is sleek. I don't think Mac eyeshadows will overrun my collection due to the rather extortionate price of now £12.50 for a single, but for now, I'm pleased to own one.